The Hindu : Sport : AC Milan makes final on away goal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 06, 2005

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AC Milan makes final on away goal

EINDHOVEN: AC Milan went into its Champions League semifinal match against PSV Eindhoven looking strong and confident.

The Italian team came out of it lucky to still be alive in Europe's top club competition.

The six-time champion, who lost 3-1 on Wednesday but still advanced on away goals after winning at home 2-0, needed an injury-time header from Massimo Ambrosini to advance to their 10th final on May 25 against Liverpool in Istanbul, Turkey.

``It was a happy end for us, but we were unable to take control of play,'' Milan defender Alessandro Nesta said. ``Only in the last 20 minute we realised it was possible to attack and score.''

PSV dominated most of the match, and needing at least two goals to send the series to extra time, the Dutch champion attacked the goal relentlessly.

The goals

Park Ji-sung gave PSV hope with a goal in the ninth minute, and Phillip Cocu made it 2-0 in the 65th with a header, but Ambrosini's first Champions League goal sent Milan through to the final.

``Everyone has seen the game and we didn't play particularly well,'' Milan defender Jaap Stam said.

``PSV played a very good game, had a couple of chances. In football everything is possible, they played a very good game and we only had one chance and we scored a goal. It was enough for us.''

Cocu added another goal for the host one minute after Ambrosini's decider, volleying in a headed pass from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, but it still wasn't enough.

``It was close again, but at the last minute it slipped through our fingers,'' PSV coach, Guus Hiddink, said. ``I have a lot of respect for the Italians and how they play soccer, but with respect I think we dominated.''

Park's goal was the first that Milan had conceded in the Champions League since losing at Barcelona 2-1 on November 2. The Italian co-leaders had won six of its seven European matches since, with one draw.

``It's very disappointing because when you've played two games better than AC Milan you deserve to win, but they scored an away goal and that's the most important thing,'' PSV captain, Mark van Bommel, said. ``We were better for 180 minutes of soccer. But in the end, we have nothing.''

The chances

PSV nearly scored another in the 28th when Vennegoor of Hesselink headed a free kick off the crossbar. Theo Lucius also had a chance in first-half injury time, but his shot was saved by Milan goalkeeper Dida.

``It isn't right,'' Cocu said. ``There was only one team that played to win, and that was us.''

Milan got a scare in the fifth minute when captain Paolo Maldini was kicked in the head as Vennegoor of Hesselink went for a high ball.

Maldini, who has played in six European Cup finals and won four of them, was taken off the field on a stretcher but returned moments later. He was then replaced at halftime.

The Italian team's best chance to score in the first-half came in the 11th when a dangerous cross floated across the front of the goal, but PSV 'keeper Gomes was able to keep it out of the net.

``Our plan was to score one goal ... unfortunately this time we had to wait a lot for it,'' Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

``We have a big squad of experienced players and they really helped us survive the battle. PSV played excellently and will have a squad that can challenge for European honours in the next few years,'' said Ancelotti.

``Liverpool will be a completely different game. Their semifinal against Chelsea showed they are capable of keeping a clean sheet.

``They are a defensive side — a very different team than PSV who like to dominate a match. But they will also be very hard to beat.''

Milan's victory kept it on course for the Serie A and European Cup double — only been won twice before — by Fabio Capello's Milan in 1994 and city rival Inter Milan in 1965.

This Sunday, the defending champion faces a crunch meeting with Juventus at the San Siro. The Rossoneri, looking to secure their 18th `scudetto', are level on points with Juve with four games remaining.

PSV had another good chance in the 49th when Alex sent a rolling cross that van Bommel let go for Park, but the South Korean couldn't get a solid foot on the ball.

The Dutch team, which played without the suspended Andre Ooijer and injured DaMarcus Beasley, did a good job keeping Milan forward Andriy Shevchenko off the ball.

Shevchenko's best chance came in the 58th minute when Kaka made a quick run into the PSV end, but Lucius was there to break up the attack.

The result:

Champions League (second leg): PSV Eindhoven 3 (Park 9th minute, Cocu 65th and 90th) bt AC Milan 1 (Ambrosini 90th); 3-3 on aggregate and AC Milan advances on away goals rule. — AP

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